2 Kings 5 is for Parents of Kids with Disabilities – Part 6

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2 Kings 5 is for Parents of Kids with Disabilities – Part 6

August 14, 2009 by John Knight

Part 1 – In verse one we see God’s sovereignty in Naaman’s life, just as God is sovereign and intentional in our lives.

Part 2 – In verses two and three we see God orchestrating really unusual things so that a powerless foreign slave girl can deliver good news to the powerful man, just as we are called in our situations to bring good news.

Part 3 – We are reminded that a wealthy, powerful man desperately wants to be healed of his disease, and nobody thus far has been able to help him, just as our children will always live with their disabilities.

Part 4 – The king of Israel knows he doesn’t have the power to heal and assumes the king of Syria is looking for a reason to invade, just as we assume people involved with our children are not always telling us the entire story.

Part 5 – Elisha corrects one in authority over him, just as we must at times correct people who are supposed to serve our children.

Part 6 – 2 Kings 5:9-12

So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.

We are given a clear sign that Naaman has not travelled alone to Israel, and that he intentionally wanted to demonstrate he is a man of power. Horses and chariots throughout the bible and history are evidences of power and wealth. And, he has probably been received as just such a man as he has travelled to the king of Israel. That all changes when he comes to visit Elisha.

Elisha’s response is very interesting – let the boy go give him the news. Again, Elisha doesn’t appear to have much respect for authority. But he is making sure that the message gets delivered. The point is, after all, that Naaman be cleansed of his serious skin disease. Which should Naaman prefer: good social skills or the solution to his problem?

Unfortunately, I’ve been tempted to respond like Naaman when doctors, social workers, or educators haven’t treated me like I thought I should be treated – regardless of how they might be able to serve my son. For some reason, medical specialists in particular seem to have few (or no) social skills. And they also frequently happen to be the people with the greatest opportunity to help my son.

The lesson here for us parents: your goal is to have a good outcome for your child, not to be treated with respect. I greatly appreciate when I am treated well as his dad, but that also shouldn’t cloud my judgment about getting a good outcome. Very kind, respectful people may be incompetent.

And only God knows what’s really going on. We should never fully trust experts, but should always fully trust God.

For Part 7: why we should not try to do this alone.

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The Works of God

Reflections on the sovereignty of God over disability, disease and suffering, for God's glory and for our good.